In March 1863, 900 black Union soldiers, led by white officers, invaded Florida and seized the town of Jacksonville. Using long-neglected primary sources, historian Ash's stirring narrative re-creates this Civil War event with insight, vivid characterizations, and a keen sense of drama. …More

An invaluable addition to both Civil War and women's history, this lively and authoritative work of scholarship tells the story of hundreds of women who donned male disguise to fight in the Union and Confederate armies. …More

In this compelling new account of the American Civil War, noted historian David Eicher gives us an authoritative history of battle from the first shots at Fort Sumter to Lee's surrender at Appomattox. As a strictly military history, "The Longest Night" covers hundreds of engagements, both well known and obscure, including the oft-neglected Western theater and naval actions along the coasts and rivers. The result is a gripping popular history that will fascinate anyone just learning about the Civil War while offering more than a few surprises for longtime students.,,,More

The debate over the fourteenth president’s true attitude toward slavery and racial equality is apparently endless, but in this cogent appraisal of the subject, Stanford historian Fredrickson interestingly summarizes, in the title of his book, both the problem and the right conclusion. Fredrickson reviews the literature on the subject, as well as Lincoln’s spoken and written words from the time of his political apprenticeship in Springfield, Illinois, to the weeks before his assassination; he seeks to avoid concluding that Lincoln was either an abolitionist or a racist, bringing into his discussion the importance of avoiding rigid thinking and remaining flexible in approaching Lincoln and this complicated issue.

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An acclaimed, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian (No Ordinary Time) illuminates Lincoln's political genius in this highly original work, as the one-term congressman/prairie lawyer rises from obscurity to prevail over three gifted rivals of national reputation to become President. Black-and-white photos. …More

A riveting history of the battle that permanently turned the tide of the Civil War. …More

In this masterful portrait of life in Savannah before, during, and after the Civil War, prize-winning historian Jacqueline Jones transports readers to the balmy, raucous streets of that fabled Southern port city. Here is a subtle and rich social history that weaves together stories of the everyday lives of blacks and whites, rich and poor, men and women from all walks of life confronting the transformations that would alter their city forever. Deeply researched and vividly written, Saving Savannah is an invaluable contribution to our understanding of the Civil War years. …More

James M. McPherson, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Battle Cry of Freedom, and arguably the finest Civil War historian in the world, walks us through the site of the bloodiest and perhaps most consequential battle ever fought by Americans. The events that occurred at Gettysburg are etched into our collective memory, as they served to change the course of the Civil War and with it the course of history. More than any other place in the United States, Gettysburg is indeed hallowed ground. It's no surprise that it is one of the nation's most visited sites (nearly two million annual visitors), attracting tourists, military buffs, and students of American history. …More

Perry reintroduces readers to five men--Ulysses S. Grant, Rutherford Hayes, James Garfield, Benjamin Harrison, and William McKinley--who rose to the pinnacle of American life but are now largely forgotten. Photos. …More

Abraham Lincoln began his presidency admitting that he knew "but little of ships." Written by a prize-winning historian, this work reveals how Lincoln managed the men who ran the naval side of the Civil War, and how the activities of the Union Navy ultimately affected the course of history. …More

"Bitterly Divided" lays bare the myth of a united confederacy, revealing that the South was in fact fighting two civil wars--an external one that we know so much about and an internal one about which there is scant literature and virtually no public awareness. A fascinating look at a hidden side of the South's history, historian David Williams shows the powerful and little-understood impact of the thousands of draft resisters, Southern Unionists, fugitive slaves, and other Southerners who opposed the Confederate cause. …More